What is a Heat Pump Optimiser?

For the first time in a long time I was stumped by a heat pump question from a customer the other day. They asked me if we were fitting a heat pump optimiser, which they'd heard was an absolute necessity when installing a heat pump.  

This came from an article in the Daily Telegraph ‘The heat pump mistakes that cost me hundreds, and how to avoid them’ (behind paywall). The journalist's heat pump installers hadn't set up weather compensation (more about that later) and he fixed this with a Heat Pump Optimiser.

I had never heard of heat pump optimisers, so was a bit surprised. It turned out we actually install them, but don't call them that. We fit the Homely smart thermostat on all our Samsung EHS heat pumps. But Havenwise and Passiv UK make "optimisers" as well. Maybe I need to get with the new lingo.

The Homely Smart Thermostat

This got me thinking....

In order to control a heat pump properly, you need a combination of these 3 things in place. 

1️⃣ An installer who understands heat pumps;

2️⃣ A smart thermostat/optimiser;

3️⃣ A heat pump that can be controlled remotely.

If you have the first, you don't necessarily need the others, but if you don't have the first you definitely need the second. If you have the first, you can have the third without needing the second.  

Option 1: An installer who understands heat pumps

The fact that the installer in the Telegraph article offered weather compensation as an optional extra on their way out the door shows that they didn't understand heat pumps. Weather compensation is the ability to run your heat pump hotter or colder depending on the outdoor temperature and it's absolutely key to running your heat pump efficiently.

A heat pump install in Old Windsor, Berkshire

Typically this is set up by the installer on the heat pump's controls and then left to do its thing. If you want to really fine tune it, it may take a return visit or so, but a good installer will offer this service.

Option 2: A smart thermostat/optimiser

Alternatively, you can install a product such as Homely or Havenwise that learns the performance of your home in different weather conditions and adjusts automatically without installer intervention. 

Option 3: A heat pump that can be controlled remotely

The third option is the gold standard, which is to install a heat pump like a Grant, Nibe, Stiebel Eltron or Kronoterm, where all the heat pump's settings are configurable remotely. Then your installer can fix lots of heat pump issues, not just the weather compensation settings, remotely, giving you a high level of confidence that your heat pump will work efficiently and without interruption for many years to come.

Remember if you have Option 1, you don't necessarily need the others, but if you don't have Option 1 you definitely need Option 2. If you have Option 1, you can have Option 3 without needing Option 2.

If you live in Surrey, Hampshire, Berkshire or West London and want to speak to an installer that understands heat pumps and optimisers (now I know people call them that), then https://www.yourenergyyourway.co.uk/contact-us